slothis · English

Cycling Korea's East Coast Day 1: Goseong to Yangyang

2017-05-02 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

With some extra days off, it became a nine-day holiday. As a voluntary slacker, it didn't really affect me, but I was secretly looking forward to it since my travel buddies could finally take some time off. A perfect travel plan came up: cycling the East Coast. I decided to complete the East Coast bicycle certification with two friends who love riding, and we hopped on a morning bus to Daejin.

Because of the holiday traffic, we were exhausted on the bus before we even started riding. After nearly four and a half hours, we finally arrived at Daejin Terminal, which was literally just a building in the middle of nowhere. I hadn't ridden a bike at all last year, so stepping on the pedals for the first time in ages had me completely hyped as we headed to the Unification Observatory certification center.

The East Coast (Gangwon) Bicycle Path, which opened about two or three years ago, has a South-to-North route from Imwon Port to the Unification Observatory, and a North-to-South route going the opposite way. We decided to head from north to south. Personally, writing this post after finishing the whole trip, I highly recommend the South-to-North route from Imwon to the Unification Observatory instead. You get to ride with the ocean right next to you on your right, making it much easier to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

According to the briefing by Seonjun, who planned this entire trip, our first day takes us from the Unification Observatory to Naksan Beach in Yangyang, and the second day takes us to Donghae City. The plan for the final day is to arrive at Imwon Port by 3 PM, drink a ton starting in the early evening, go to bed early, and catch a dawn bus back to Seoul the next day.

The bottom line: no matter what happens today, we have to make it to Yangyang.

Red unmanned certification center booth and people resting around it
The certification center in front of the Unification Observatory, our starting point.

In the past, you had to stamp a physical bicycle passport one by one to get certified, but this time we easily did it by saving our passport serial numbers in the 'Bicycle Happy Sharing' app. The app also has the official path routes, which is incredibly useful when you get lost. Unless you're someone who absolutely insists on that analog vibe, it's a must-have for a bike certification trip.

Red-paved bicycle path and street trees next to a road
Now the real journey begins~
Two bicycle travelers walking and pushing their bikes up an uphill road
Person riding a bicycle and a parked truck at a port with moored fishing boats
The bike path has a major goal of "revitalizing the local economy." To achieve that, the East Coast route stops by pretty much every single port.
Large green net spread out on the ground in a wide empty lot overlooking the sea
Bicycle travelers riding on a bridge with orange arch decorations
Pine trees and a signpost standing on a beach with a view of the blue sea and white sand
Clear blue seawater and rocks situated along the coast
Back view of a person riding a bicycle on a winding paved road through green fields and trees.
Person standing inside the red Bukcheon Railway Bridge certification center booth next to the East Coast Bicycle Path comprehensive guide map.
Rode hard and arrived at the second checkpoint, Bukcheon Railway Bridge Certification Center.
Cross-Country Bicycle Path cyber certification QR code notice attached to a window.
Blue stamp box and stamp inside a certification center booth with a Cross-Country Bicycle Path map attached.
You can easily get certified by scanning the QR code through the app. If you just leave the app running, it automatically certifies you without even needing to scan. A pretty convenient app.
Straight paved road lined with transmission towers and trees under a clear sky.

I visited here 3 or 4 years ago when a friend was doing his alternative military service at the Goseong public health center, and this neighborhood is just as quiet and deserted now as it was then. I always thought it was a great place to come when you want to quietly clear your head, and even the bike path gives off that same peaceful, relaxing vibe. We share the road with cars, but there's hardly any traffic, so it's nice not having to ride with constant anxiety. It might sound weird to look for relaxation and tranquility on a bike path, but I think it's possible because it's Goseong.

Wooden deck suspension bridge stretching long over the water under a clear sky
Two cyclists riding on a straight concrete path between water-filled rice paddies.
Landscape blending a lake with gentle ripples and a green forest on the opposite side.
Hwajinpo Lake, one of the Eight Scenic Views of Goseong. I can't believe I only took one photo of it... It's a place where your cycling speed naturally drops.

The highlights of the first day's route are definitely Hwajinpo and the other lakes. As you pass the lakes blending with the reeds, you naturally stop pedaling for a moment to just ride and take in the surroundings. Big or small, every lake is beautiful. I think it's an absolute must-stop resting place.

Beach scenery with a yellow tent pitched on a wide sandy beach and a bicycle passing by on the adjacent wooden deck path.
Coastal bicycle path with a blue line drawn next to the sea and a red heart sculpture
People wearing bicycle helmets looking at a map inside the Bongpo Beach certification center
Bongpo Beach Certification Center
Large red heart-shaped sculpture installed on a beach deck overlooking the sandy beach and sea

After passing Hwajinpo, we started picking up speed. My two friends ride regularly, so their "engines" are way better than mine, and their bikes are vastly superior too. Trying to keep up with them made my legs turn to jelly and I was practically drooling. Even though I was chasing after them with a runny nose, watery eyes, and drool, I was riding by myself for the most part. I really need to start working out more...

A distinct feature of the East Coast path is that there are a lot of off-road sections that feel like they'll completely shred road tires, and many stretches where you share the road with cars. We were really lucky our tires didn't tear, but I've heard a lot of people struggle with flats here. If you've recently learned to ride and still have trouble balancing, I do not recommend the East Coast bike path—it will make you want to curse out every single government official in Gangwon Province.

People on bicycles gathered in front of a red phone booth marked as the Yeonggeumjeong certification center
Arrived at Yeonggeumjeong Certification Center at the speed of light (or so I felt).
Seaside village scenery with a cluster of small roofs, including a restaurant with an Abai Sundae (Korean blood sausage) sign
I really wanted to eat Abai Sundae (North Korean-style blood sausage) if we had time, but sadly we just passed by. If you have time, definitely grab some at the Abai Sundae street.
Parked cars and silhouettes of people walking on the road around a port at sunset
People walking or resting along a seaside promenade lined with decorative iron arches
Back view of two people riding bicycles on a wooden deck path next to the beach
A beach in Yangyang where we stopped because it was so beautiful. A few people were surfing, though I have no idea what waves they were trying to catch. Despite my thoughts, they were paddling for their lives.
Adult walking with a child on a beach with two lighthouses visible in the distance
Scenery showing a breakwater and two lighthouses behind an adult and child walking on a beach with crashing waves
My phone is broken so the pictures are coming out terrible, but the weird focus on this one actually makes it look more atmospheric. The catch is that I might be the only one who thinks so.
Glass door marked Party Guesthouse and a standing sign set up at the entrance
Where we're sleeping tonight. Party. I guess they named it that because they throw a party every night.
Inside of a room with a checkered blanket and pillow laid on the floor and pink curtains drawn over the window
This room is 90,000 KRW. The dorm beds are 25,000 KRW. Everyone except me thought it was expensive.

We arrived at Guesthouse 'Party', which I booked without a second thought when I heard they offer unlimited samgyeopsal (pork belly), soju, and beer for 20,000 KRW per person. The 6-person dorms (25,000 KRW per person) were fully booked, so we decided to get a private room just for the three of us. The price was 30,000 KRW per person.

The biggest draw of this guesthouse is the nighttime pork belly BBQ party, which costs 20,000 KRW per person. I imagine everyone came here specifically for this. Drinking until 10 PM in a place filled entirely with guys, plus one family with two kids, was pretty fun in its own way. At 50,000 KRW per person including dinner and breakfast (cup noodles and cereal), it might not be an absolute steal, but it's definitely a solid deal.

The pork belly is frozen, and the beer is on draft.